The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge)
for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public
Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said that one
of the major achievements of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s foreign visits
over the last one and a half year is that these have immensely reinforced and
strengthened India’s nuclear programme. He was stating this in response to a
question in Lok Sabha today. He also gave details of the important nuclear
deals and agreements accomplished during Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s
visits to different countries abroad.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that following Prime Minister’s visit to Canada, an
agreement was signed for supply of natural Uranium up to over 5,000 tons, while
the Prime Minister’s visit to Kazakhstan accomplished an agreement for the
supply of natural Uranium up to 7,000 tons. Similarly, during Prime Minister’s
visit to Australia, a nuclear cooperation agreement was signed with Australia
which paved the way for procurement of natural Uranium while his visit to USA
concluded the deal for construction of nuclear reactors at Mithi Virdi site in
Gujarat, he added. Another nuclear cooperation agreement was signed with the
United Kingdom following Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s visit there and a
similar agreement for expansion of nuclear power programme at Kudankulam with
the collaboration of Russia was signed during his Russian visit, he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that a notable achievement, perhaps the first of its
kind in the history of independent India, was the introduction of Atomic Energy
Bill 2015 in the Lok Sabha on the 7th of this month. The Bill, he said, seeks
to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1962, thereby facilitating joint-ventures by
nuclear power units like Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)
with Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) from other fields. This will help in
supplementing the budgetary support for setting up of new nuclear installations
and also meet the requirement of nuclear power generation in the years to come,
he said.

Allaying fears about the possible hazards resulting from radiation from nuclear
power plants. Dr Jitendra Singh said, not a single scientist working in these
nuclear power plants have so far suffered from any health hazard due to
radiation and that itself should be a reassurance for the people who have
apprehensions about the setting up of nuclear power plants in their area. On
the other hand, he said, in some foreign countries, nuclear power plants have
been set up in thickly populated residential colonies.

Dr Jitendra Singh also informed the House that, as on date, there are, in
total, 21 nuclear power reactors in the country, out of which 6 are located in
Rajasthan but one of these 6 has gone out of order. However, he added, this
deficiency will be adequately overcome when the country gets 6 more reactors
with three times more generation capacity. Two of these will be set up in
Rajasthan while of the other four, two each will be set up in Gujarat and Tamil
Nadu respectively, he said.

* * *

Crop Protection Through Atomic Technique

The Research efforts involving mutation breeding
through radiation and allied techniques at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
(BARC), a constituent unit of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has
significantly contributed to release of high yielding varieties in pulses and
oilseeds over last 5 decades.

In the last 10 years, the groundnut varieties of BARC have contributed to about
14.2% of National Breeders’ seed indent. These varieties have become very
popular in groundnut growing States like Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha,
Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Karnataka.

In addition, the pulse varieties of BARC like mungbean, pigeon pea and
blackgram have also played an important role in increasing overall national
productivity. BARC mung varieties such as TJM-3, TMB-37 and TM-96-2 accounted
for 24% while pigeon pea variety TJT-501 accounted for 18% of the total
national breeder seed indents for respective pulses during 2014-15. The
introduction of pulse varieties suitable for rice fallow cultivation has
increased the usage efficiency of agricultural fields. Twelve million hectares
of rice fallows could be brought under pulse cultivation.

Various types of training programme are conducted for farmers in the Atomic
field by Department of Atomic Energy through BARC such as:-

(i) Conducting regular awareness programmes for farmers in association with
various agricultural universities.

(ii) Interaction with the farmers and explaining the standard cultivation
practices to them regularly.

(iii) Participation in various agricultural related exhibitions where
interaction with several farmers takes place.

(iv) Co-operation with progressive farmers for multiplication of varieties
developed at BARC.

This information was provided the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge)
Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public
Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in a
reply to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha today.